Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Builder: “I have been busy for thirteen years and finally waited for this day.”

“The longest cross-sea bridge”, “the longest undersea tunnel”, “the most advanced island technology”... Yesterday (October 24th) at 9:00 am, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, known as the “Everest Peak” of the bridge industry, was officially opened to traffic. The “super” sea-crossing bridge, which lasted for 14 years from design to construction, has created many of the world\'s best and has been hailed as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Modern World” by the British “Guardian”.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge a total length of 55 km, it consists of three navigation bridges, a submarine tunnel, four artificial islands and connecting bridges and tunnels, a non-compassing continuous beam bridge in deep and shallow waters, and a landline connecting Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao.

It is understood that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is currently the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world, and it is still the most difficult cross-sea bridge in the world. At the same time, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has 15 kilometers of all-steel structural steel box girder, which is currently the longest steel bridge in the world.

In terms of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has also created many of the world’s. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge submarine immersed tunnel is 6.7 kilometers long and is the longest undersea tunnel in the world. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is the deepest submarine tunnel at 48 meters below sea level and the deepest undersea tunnel in the world. Meanwhile, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge also has the largest immersed tube tunnel, which is standard pipe immersed tunnel sections, each section length of 180 meters, a displacement of over 75,000 tons.

In the construction of the project, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge adopts the world\'s first deep-inserted steel cylinder rapid island technology. It is directly fixed on the seabed with 120 giant steel cylinders and inserted into the seabed, and then filled in the middle to form an artificial island. Its deep-water unmanned highway immersed tunnel is also the world\'s biggest difficulty. The immersed pipes are unconnected at the seabed between 13 and 48 meters below sea level, and the docking error must be controlled within 2 cm.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was opened. For Lin Ming, chief engineer of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Island Tunnel Project, the time is fixed on this day. “Heavy for 13 years, and finally waited for this day,” Lin Ming was difficult to conceal in his interview.

The island tunnel project led by Lin Ming is the node project in the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, it is also a key project that determines whether the entire Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge can be successfully penetrated. At this special moment, on the land of East Artificial Island, where countless blood and sweat were poured, Lin Ming said: “I really don\'t want to leave.”

“For 13 years in this project, I have been busy until the last day. Early in the morning, I sent more than 100 people to check and repair the project site.” Lin Ming said with a smile, in fact, the entire project has not stopped from the start of construction to the opening of the day. Lin Ming is responsible for the node project in the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge - the island tunnel project, which is also the core part of the entire construction. Regardless of whether it is “island” or “tunneling”, Lin Ming, a bridge expert, has not touched before taking over the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. It can be said that the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has forced him to become a world-class master of the island tunnel project.

In the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, there was no such thing as “Island” and “Tunnel” construction to make Lin Ming easy to pass. Lin Ming said that the first major obstacle facing the situation at that time was the construction of an offshore artificial island. Two artificial islands are to be built on the sea to provide a “converter” for the conversion of tunnels and bridges in the sea.

At that time, the feasible technical solution in the world was to build two artificial islands of 100,000 square meters according to the traditional method of riprap reclamation. However, this will not only result in a long construction period, but will inevitably lead to waterway traffic congestion.

In addition, it is necessary to excavate 8 million cubic meters of seabed silt, and statistics show that the amount of excavation is equivalent to stacking three pyramids of Khufu. Moreover, the enormous amount of excavation will destroy the home of the Chinese White Dolphin living in this water.

The face of these drawbacks, Lin Ming expect a “quick into the island” approach: A set of giant steel cylinders are directly inserted and fixed on the seabed, and then sand is filled to form an artificial island.

“The size of these giant steel cylinders is equivalent to a basketball court, and the height is equivalent to 18 floors. The volume is similar to an A380 Airbus.” Lin Ming remembered that this idea attracted many objections and doubts. Can such a group of giants be made, transported and fixed to the design position? Lin Ming smiled and said: “The facts prove that persistence is victory.” So we saw that the artificial island, which was expected to be completed by foreign experts for two or three years, was completed by Lin Ming’s team in just seven months.

Offshore immersed tube technology creates an engineering miracle

The problems encountered in the construction of the “subsea tunnel” are often dangerous. One of the most thrilling aspects is the construction of an immersed tunnel in the outer sea. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge immersed tunnel, which is now built, is the only deep buried immersed tunnel in the world. However, at that time, the core technology of the immersed tunnel in the outer sea was still in the hands of several foreign companies.

At the beginning, Lin Ming also tried to seek external strength. He happily took the engineer abroad to study the learning techniques, and the result was a cold water poured by the other party. In the end, not only did the technology not learn, but it also wasted time and energy. After that, he also considered “buying technology”. As a result, not only does it require more than one billion yuan in consulting fees, but it also delays the one-year construction period.

Since “no way to go”, it is better to be self-reliant.

Lin Ming said that he smiled proudly here: After the breakthrough of the deep buried immersed tunnel technology of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the company that opened the sky-high consulting fee specially invited him to exchange and raised the Chinese flag in the company.

During the construction of the immersed tunnel in the outer sea, the most difficult part is the installation of the immersed pipe in the outer sea. The immersed pipe weighing 80,000 tons should be transported from the factory to the construction site, and then accurately placed in the designated position and docked with the front sinking pipe. “Every time the power of hundreds of people need to work together.”

It is very difficult to install once every immersed tube. The “most bitter” is the 15th immersed tube (E15), had to be dragged back to the factory twice, and after the third float, the installation was successfully completed. At the most critical moment of installation, Lin Ming was also overworked and had massive bleeding in the nose. He underwent two general anesthesia operations within four days.

[Dialogue]

Career needs more persistence

Reporter: Today Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge opened to traffic, as the builders you have any feelings?

Lin Ming: I think all of us are full of affection for this bridge. We have tens of millions of builders, and it is a very glorious thing to see such a project successfully completed.

Going to challenge more difficult technologies

Reporter: Looking back at the most difficult moments of these years, what new feelings are there?

Lin Ming: Now I feel that our persistence in the past is very worthwhile. No matter how much pressure we encountered at the time, everyone is now in favor of our persistence. Includes the power of past support and unsupport. We now need a spirit of persistence for a career, ideals, and lofty goals. Otherwise, the goal will not be reached and will be discounted.

Looking back now, this spirit is a precious asset. Our business needs more persistence to reach the expected height.

Reporter: The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has been opened to traffic. When will your work mission end?

Lin Ming: I have been busy till now, I have been busy for thirteen years and have been busy until the last day. I always want to make it more perfect, always keep asking myself questions.

Yesterday we still concluded that an average of one hundred people are on the project site every day. Everyone is reluctant, many people can\'t help but shed tears and want to do it for another year or two. I encouraged everyone: the bridge built, can use, and you “exit” is not to be happy? As a result, everyone still had a dinner with tears.

Business need to invest feelings, feelings can make a good career.

Behind the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is the sweat and time of many people. A cross-sea bridge that spans three places has only taken 13 years, create the world’s 7th largest. Made in China once again bring the world a pleasant surprise. The establishment of the bridge facilitates the exchanges between Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao and plays an important role in promoting the economic development of the three places.

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